Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Pixel the Weather Adventurer Extraordinaire Braves the Arctic Tundra Once More

I never would have guessed that even as a Weather Adventurer Extraordinaire, I'd have another wild grueling weather adventure quite so soon after winter. I'd been traveling for miles and miles, walking for what seemed like days, weeks even. Nothing around me but endless white. I wasn't even sure where I was, but based on how overwhelmingly blustery, cold and snowy it was, I was pretty sure I was close to the Arctic Circle. I had to rely on my senses, my survival skills and my keen intellect to get me through.
Surveying the landscape, desperate for any signs of life, I could see I was all alone. The travel was treacherous, the days were long, and the hours passed slowly. I fought fatigue, worried about the perils of the wilderness, and wondered when the next big blizzard would hit. I was in the mountains, so the risk of an avalanche was extremely high. One wrong howl and I could be a goner. What if I came across a glacier that blocked my path? Or fell down a huge ice crevasse? All I could do was make my way through the cold and snow as best I could. I was hoping for the best, but was prepared for the worst.
Oh how I missed the comforts of home, the warm fireplace, soft fuzzy blankets, the small yet delicious meals every 3-4 hours. I could just imagine my little duckies missing me, all lined up against the window pane wondering, "When is Mommy Pixel coming home? Will we ever see her again??" "Don't cry little Duckies, I'll survive somehow, I promise," I thought to myself.
Pixel Blue Eyes' serious face covered in snow outside - photo by Jenny Lewis As I trudged through the snow that was almost up to my neck, choking me, blinding me and making it almost impossible to make the next step, I thought about my Mommy...my beloved Mommy, and wondered how she would get along without me if I didn't get through this snowy tundra adventure. I pushed on as hard as I could, focusing on making it home.
But soon the freezing temperatures overtook my small delicate frame, and in spite of dressing for the weather, I became too weak to go on. All I could do was close my eyes and let fate overtake me. I stood there, frozen in the Arctic landscape, unable to move. What would happen to me now? Would I ever make it back home? It seemed like just the other day I was enjoying a warm Spring afternoon in my own front yard, watching the blooms of the beautiful Bradford pear trees wave in the gentle breeze. Hadn't I just sniffed my first tulips and sat in a garden filled with daffodils?
But suddenly, after being stuck in this frozen tundra for ages, the last wave of Arctic frost overtook my body, and I heard that final call of my name to "go home".
"Pixel. Pixel? PIXEL! Come on sweetie, we've been out in this blustery weather for about 5 minutes now and the snow flurries are getting a little stronger. We've got a light dusting on the ground now. Let's go home and get warm by the fire."
It was MOMMY!! She found me and I was saved!!! Thank goodness it turned out to all be just a daydream...because I'd forgotten to bring my compass and snow shoes!
REALITY CHECK FROM MOMMY: Here in the mountains of Virginia, we had warm beautiful weather up until Friday, then we suddenly nose dived into freezing cold temperatures with lows getting down to about 19 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 degrees Celsius) and snow flurries. We had lots of flurries, heavy winds gusting up to 40 miles per hour (34.75 knots) and cold temperatures, just not quite all the snow that Pixel imagined.
Did you have crazy weather this Spring? I'd love to hear about it friends!! Leave me a comment and tell me all about it.

Monday, April 4, 2016

Happy National Sweet Potato Day! Pixel Shares 5 Fun Facts About the Sweet Treat

It might seem silly to celebrate a root vegetable, but never has a root brought so much joy to my heart, or to the world (in my humble Pixel opinion). Sweet potatoes are incredibly yummy and so good for you, they are quite worthy of having a day of celebration all to themselves! Sweet potatoes are nutritious, easy to cook in a variety of ways, and go good with just about everything, including whatever you might be wearing. I'm wearing sweet potatoes from dinner on my chin right now to celebrate this festive occasion. But don't let me keep yammering on about sweet potatoes, let's get to the root of this distinguished tuberous vegetable.
The sweet potato is a super food!

5 Fun and Interesting Facts About Sweet Potatoes:

1. Although often called "Yams", Sweet Potatoes are not the same as Yams.
That's right. Yams are not sweet potatoes. Yams are white potatoes from the Caribbean, while the lovely, orange sweet potato is originally from South America. The sweet potato can, however, come in colors such as white and purple.
2. Sweet Potatoes are high in LOTS of Vitamins and Minerals.
Vitamins A, C, E, Potassium, Fiber, and Beta Carotene are just a few of the good benefits your body gets from this root vegetable, plus they are low calorie, making them an excellent addition to any meal of the day.
3. Sweet Potatoes are believed to have healing properties.
Doctors and healers use them to fight diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Medical experts say the benefits from sweet potatoes come not just from the pretty orange fruit we love to eat, but the entire plant, including the skin, the shoots, the greens and the leaves. So from tip to root, this sweet treat is of benefit to every single body, whether you are two or four legged!
4. Christopher Columbus LOVED sweet potatoes!
The world traveler was introduced to sweet potatoes in 1492 while visiting the Americas. He thought they were so delicious and amazing, he brought them back home across the ocean to England. Great thinking on his part.
5. The Sweet Potato was "domesticated" over 5,000 years ago.
In fact, the sweet potato is one of the oldest vegetables known to mankind! That is one faithful staple for dinner. I bet dog loving pet parents have been slipping a little big of sweet potato under the table to their beloved companions for thousands of years. Here's an interesting article from NPR talking about how the sweet potato crossed the Pacific before Columbus.
Sweet potatoes are fun to eat & they look good on your chin too!
I love them pureed in my food, mashed like regular potatoes and cut up into wedges and baked in the oven. I eat them every day! In fact, I wear them on my chin quite often as a matter of fact.
Do you like sweet potatoes? Tell me how you enjoy eating your sweet potatoes friends.

Learn More:

All About Sweet Potatoes
Dr. Axe.com - Nutritional Facts on Sweet Potatoes
Library of Congress - A Sweet Potato History